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Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Rose Bowl Stadium Seating Chart.
Upcoming events at Rose Bowl Stadium
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
What Rose Bowl Stadium is and what plays there
Rose Bowl Stadium is an open-air, single-tier football stadium in Pasadena, California, with an official capacity of about 89,702. It opened on October 28, 1922, is owned by the City of Pasadena and is operated by the Rose Bowl Operating Company. It sits in the Arroyo Seco, a wide canyon on the city's west side, surrounded by a golf course and parkland that double as gameday parking.
Three kinds of events fill it:
- UCLA Bruins football, the stadium's home tenant since 1982.
- The Rose Bowl Game, the college bowl game played here every year since 1923 (it has its own guide on this site).
- Stadium concerts and international soccer, a tradition that includes the 1994 FIFA World Cup final and the 1999 Women's World Cup final.
A note on the UCLA tenancy: UCLA has sought to move its home games to SoFi Stadium, and the City of Pasadena has sued to hold it to a lease that runs through 2043. As of mid-2026, UCLA said it would play the 2026 season at the Rose Bowl. Check the schedule for later seasons before you plan around it.
How the bowl and its sections are numbered
The stadium is a classic bowl: one unbroken oval of seating around the field, with no upper deck. That makes the numbering simple once you know three rules.
- Sections 1 through 28 run around the oval. Sections in roughly the 1–8 range and the 15–22 range line the two sidelines; the sections between them wrap the end zones.
- Each section is split into L and H halves (low and high seat numbers) by a center aisle. Facing the field, the low numbers sit on the left and the high numbers on the right, so a ticket in 18L and one in 18H are in neighboring but separate halves.
- Rows start with letters. The front rows run from K down to A, then numbered rows climb from 1 to 77.
The west sideline, in the high teens, sits in front of the Terry Donahue Pavilion, the structure that holds the press box and suites. The home team bench has been placed along the west side, in front of roughly sections 16L through 21L. Sideline sections generally have individual seat backs; much of the end-zone seating is bench style.
Best seats at the Rose Bowl, and which rows to skip
For football
Because the bowl is a single shallow tier, height is your friend. Rows in the front letters and low numbers sit almost level with the field, so players, coaches and the sideline crowd block the far side of the play. Aim for roughly row 20 to row 40 between the 20-yard lines; seating guides consistently point to sections 3 through 6 on the east side and 17 through 20 on the west side in that row range as the best football views. Below about row 10, you trade a true view for proximity.
Pick the west side (high-teens sections) if you want shade, the home bench. Pick the east side (single-digit sections) if you do not mind the sun; it faces the home bench and the press box pavilion across the field.
For concerts
Stadium concerts typically place the stage at one end, so the opposite end-zone sections are the farthest seats in the building. Sideline sections near the stage end, in the middle rows, give a better angle than the deep end zone at a similar demand level. Seats on the field are flat, so a few rows back on the floor can see less than the lower rows of a nearby side section.
Seats to think twice about
- The lettered front rows for football, for the sightline reason above.
- The upper rows of the east side on an afternoon game, which get full sun.
- Deep end-zone benches if you need a seat back for a long day.
Sun, shade and what the view is like
The stadium runs roughly north to south. For a day game, the sun sits high over the south end by early afternoon and then drops behind the west pavilion. The practical result:
- West sideline (about sections 16–20): shade arrives through the afternoon and spreads as the day goes on.
- East sideline (about sections 1–8): sunny from early afternoon to sunset.
- End zones: exposed to the sun for most of the day.
Early-season games can be hot; UCLA's gameday guidance mentions water stations and cooling tents. Bring a hat and sunscreen for the east side, and a layer for the west side at night games, when the Arroyo cools off quickly.
From the upper rows of any side, the view takes in the whole bowl and the hills beyond it. From the lower rows, you are close but low. There are no overhangs to block a view, which is one advantage of a bowl with no second deck.
Parking, shuttles and transit in Pasadena
The stadium is several miles from a rail station and surrounded by residential streets, so plan the approach. For UCLA games, as of the 2025 season:
- On-site lots: the golf course, ball diamonds and other lots around the stadium open about six hours before kickoff. Buying parking in advance usually costs less than paying on gameday.
- Old Pasadena shuttle: a parking lot in Old Pasadena (the Parsons lot) includes a shuttle to the stadium.
- Metro: take the train to Memorial Park Station in Pasadena, then walk about 2.4 miles or buy a shuttle pass.
- Rideshare: not permitted at the stadium during UCLA games; use the Old Pasadena shuttle as the connection instead.
Lots close about 90 minutes after the game. Concert and Rose Bowl Game logistics differ, so check the event's own page and the UCLA gameday guide for current details.
Bag policy, tailgating and entry
As of the 2025 UCLA season, the stadium enforces a clear-bag policy (bags must be clear plastic, no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a one-gallon plastic freezer bag), plus a small clutch about 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Backpacks, mesh bags and tinted bags are not allowed. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, and there is no re-entry.
Tailgating is a large part of a Rose Bowl Saturday. UCLA's rules allow it from about six hours before kickoff until the game starts, with 10-by-10-foot tents placed only in front of or behind your vehicle and charcoal grills permitted outside the RV lot. Glass and amplified music are not allowed. Rules change by event and season, so check the venue's current policy before you go. Every ticket bought through this site comes with guaranteed entry.
On the second Sunday of most months, the grounds host the Rose Bowl Flea Market, which has run for more than five decades and fills the stadium parking areas.
A short history of the Rose Bowl
Architect Myron Hunt designed the stadium as a horseshoe, open at the south end. The south stands were completed in 1928, closing the bowl. The largest crowd on record, 106,869, came for the 1973 Rose Bowl Game; seating has since been reduced to its current figure of about 89,702.
The resume beyond college football is long. The stadium hosted five Super Bowls (1977, 1980, 1983, 1987 and 1993), track cycling at the 1932 Olympics, soccer at the 1984 Olympics, the 1994 FIFA World Cup final and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup final. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. A renovation between 2011 and 2016 added premium seating and updated the stadium's facilities. It is scheduled to host Olympic soccer knockout matches in 2028.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capacity of Rose Bowl Stadium?
The official capacity is about 89,702. The record crowd was 106,869 at the 1973 Rose Bowl Game, before seating was reduced.
Which side of the Rose Bowl is in the shade?
The west sideline, roughly sections 16 through 20 in front of the press box pavilion, picks up shade through the afternoon. The east sideline stays sunny from early afternoon to sunset.
What do the lettered rows at the Rose Bowl mean?
The front rows are lettered, running from K down to A, and numbered rows then climb from 1 to 77. Lettered rows are closest to the field but lowest, so they can have poor football sightlines.
Does UCLA still play at the Rose Bowl?
As of mid-2026, UCLA said it would play its 2026 home season at the Rose Bowl while litigation with the City of Pasadena over its lease continues. Check the schedule for later seasons.
Is there a clear-bag policy at the Rose Bowl?
Yes. As of the 2025 UCLA season, bags must be clear and no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a one-gallon freezer bag, plus a small clutch. Check the current policy before you go.
Can you take an Uber to the Rose Bowl?
Not during UCLA games, when rideshare is not permitted at the stadium. Fans use the Old Pasadena shuttle or on-site parking instead; rules for concerts and other events may differ.